A new soldier who was forcibly conscripted as a porter in Hlaing Tharyar Township, Yangon Region, has defected and joined revolutionary forces in Budalin Township. Ko Chit Moe, who was captured by military council forces on December 11, 2023, in Hlaing Tharyar Township, was forced to attend military training for five months before being deployed to Budalin. According to a representative from the Budalin Mobile Team (BMT), Ko Chit Moe made contact with revolutionary forces and defected without weapons while stationed in Budalin town on August 3.
The defector was received through coordination between the Budalin Mobile Team (BMT), Monywa District Battalion 2’s Ywa Zaw Gyi Company (YZG), and the Student Armed Forces (SAF). Currently, Ko Chit Moe is being kept in a secure location under the protection of revolutionary forces. The circumstances of his initial capture in Hlaing Tharyar highlight the military council’s ongoing practice of forcing civilians into military service through porter recruitment.
Revolutionary forces have stated that they will provide full security and humanitarian treatment to military personnel who defect, provided they have not been involved in war crimes. Analysts note that such defections may increase as the military council continues its practice of forced conscription and using civilians as porters. The revolutionary forces emphasize their commitment to protecting those who choose to leave the military council’s forces and join the civilian resistance movement, offering them a path to safety and dignified treatment.
